


New Daily Life

by Rekoto



Series: Reimu and Marisa's New Life [2]
Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Party, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:01:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22223752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rekoto/pseuds/Rekoto
Summary: "I'm really happy we'll be able to experience life together from now on."
Relationships: Hakurei Reimu/Kirisame Marisa
Series: Reimu and Marisa's New Life [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1600687
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	New Daily Life

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place after a story I previously posted, "Mutual Thoughts, Mutual Feelings". Reading that story is not necessary to understand this one, but if you care about reading things in order then I recommend going through that one first.

Light seeps through the shōji of the Hakurei Shrine, signalling the start of a new day. While she normally sleeps in later, this morning is of special significance to the resident shrine maiden and she awakens early. Looking to her left she sees a blonde young woman sleeping peacefully in the spare futon a few feet away.

_Glad to know yesterday wasn't a dream._

Reimu indulges in a blissful smile before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, doing her utmost not to disturb her newfound romantic partner's sleep. She makes a modest but quality meal for two including grilled fish, pickled vegetables, miso soup, and white rice; for the drinks, she decides to splurge with some of her highest quality tea leaves that were being saved for a special occasion.

_I can't believe I'm actually awake at this hour doing something like this. I'm gonna hear no end of teasing when Marisa wakes up. Yesterday was... one of the happiest of my life. I was afraid to go to sleep and wake up to see her gone. I was afraid of being alone again, though I'm loathe to admit it. I needed to get up as soon as I could to confirm it. And of course she's snoozing away without a care in the world._

_I wouldn't have it any other way._

After setting the table, the shrine maiden sneaks a quick peek into the bedroom, where the magician still sleeps soundly.

_I hate to disturb you but..._

"Marisa, wake up. I made breakfast," says Reimu, gently jostling the slumbering woman.

The magician groans as she slowly sits up and rubs her eyes. "Reimu? What are you doing up so early?" she says, still not fully awake.

"I just said I made breakfast. C'mon, get up before your food gets cold."

That statement appears to make Marisa perk up. She quickly rises and says, "Wow, something smells good. Since when are you an early riser? I've gotten here before you've woken up plenty of times."

Reimu rolls her eyes and says, "Shut up and let's eat."

The two head to the kitchen and sit down, with Marisa grabbing large portions greedily. This reaction to the meal greatly pleases Reimu.

"Thanks, this looks great! Did you do all this for me?"

"Something like that," says Reimu in an attempt to brush it off.

_Here it comes._

But Marisa's reaction is not what Reimu expects. Instead of cracking a joke about the latter's usual lethargy, Marisa stands up and moves over to Reimu's side of the table before sitting down and giving the shrine maiden a kiss on the cheek. Reimu's face turns bright red and she freezes in place.

"Really, I appreciate it. I'll make sure to treat you just as well from now on," says Marisa lovingly.

"S-s-since when were you so romantic?!"

"Heh, guess I _do_ have some game after all."

_Well this is a game two can play!_

Marisa flashes a cheeky grin at Reimu, but as she does so she suddenly feels something soft and warm pressed against her mouth. The magician is shocked at first, but soon recovers and reciprocates. They stay like this for about fifteen seconds before finally breaking it off.

"Well? How did it feel?" asks Reimu expectantly.

"All I'll say is that I'm an idiot if I missed out on mornings like these for so many years."

"I suppose that makes two of us. Let's make up for lost time."

By the time the two finish, the food has long since become cold.

* * *

_These recent reports about new Youkai being seen near the village are suspect, so who better to ask about Youkai problems than the dear Youkai Exterminator herself? She's almost never awake this early so it should be easy to get some info out of her while she's groggy. And besides, it's fun to mess with her._

Mamizou Futatsuiwa and Reimu Hakurei do not consider themselves enemies, but the latter is still wary of the former's various plots and pranks.

_If I want to get her to talk, then **she** should do nicely._

The bake-danuki transforms into a familiar black and white magician as she approaches the shrine, making sure to disguise a nearby branch as a broomstick to complete the look. She walks through the torii and up to the shrine's deck.

"Yo, Reimu!" says Mamizou in her best Marisa dialect.

"Marisa? You're back already?" says a voice inside the shrine.

_What? Was Marisa just here? And Reimu sounds wide awake. Did an incident come up?_

The door to the shrine opens and Reimu walks out with gohei in hand, her usual outfit on but missing her hair ornaments.

"I know you can fly fast but it's only been five minutes. Did something happen?" asks Reimu with what Mamizou considers an unnatural amount of concern.

"Uh, not at all dearie! Just forgot something."

_Blast, I did it again. Talking like that is going to expose me._

Reimu gives her an oddly bashful look before she says, "Um, I-I'm not against a nickname if we're alone, but you sound too much like an old lady with that one."

_...excuse me?_

"O-of course! My bad."

"It's fine, I don't mean to- wait a minute..." Reimu cuts herself off. "That's not the outfit you were wearing when you left."

_I saw Marisa in the village yesterday, this is what she was wearing! That girl usually goes a spell before switching things up, and since when are you this perceptive?_

"I told you that no one would care if you used one of my off-work outfits, you didn't have to grab your stuff off the laundry line. I hardly ever even wear them, it's not like anyone would immediately figure it out," Reimu continues.

_She's up early and Marisa was here? An oddly soft side? Nicknames if they're alone? "Figure it out"?!_   
_..._   
_I seem to have come across information much bigger than what I bargained for._

"You're right! I guess I was a bit self-conscious, hoho!" chuckles Mamizou, not realizing the grave mistake she just made until it is too late.

Upon hearing that laugh, Reimu's facial expression immediately shifts from inquisitive to a dead stare.

"Marisa doesn't laugh like that; her's is much more vibrant and endearing. And there's only one Youkai I know who would impersonate her and say 'dearie,'" says Reimu coldly.

_Oh dear, it seems I've slipped up this time._

The trickster turns back into her Youkai form and gives the shrine maiden a mischievous look while twirling the branch in her hand.

"Your intuition is as sharp as ever, I see. But I must say, I wasn't sure if you and that magician would ever pull the trigger, hohohoho-"

Mamizou's laugh is cut off by a sudden flurry of ofuda flying towards her. The bake-danuki barely manages to dodge the first wave as she starts sweating.

"You. Stupid. Youkai!" yells Reimu, her face crimson from embarrassment and anger.

"N-now, let's not do anything rash. No need to start-"

"Spirit Sign - Fantasy Seal!"

_I chose a bad day to come here._

* * *

"Akyuu, is this the one you're looking for?" says a girl strutting to her desk with a rather heavy text, her apron bearing the name "Kosuzu".

Another girl, who is examining a nearby bookshelf, goes up and gives the text a once over.

"Yes, this is it, thank you. How much to rent it out?"

"That'll be... 5000 yen."

"Hm, cheaper than I expected," says Akyuu, nonchalantly grabbing the required funds from her bag and placing them on the table.

"Pleasure doing business!" the bookkeeper responds. "Is this for more of your record keeping?"

"Indeed. It's quite important work as you-"

_There she goes again. I admire how much she cares about her position, but you'd think she'd eventually stop lecturing me on how big of a deal it is. Though hearing her talk about her passions is nice in its own way._

In the middle of Akyuu's latest sermon, a familiar customer waltzes into Suzunaan.

"Yo, Kosuzu, Akyuu, how are ya?" says Marisa with a wave.

When Kosuzu looks to Marisa, she notices something odd: Marisa's outfit is not quite her normal witch-like fare but instead a sleeveless white and red dress. On top of this, the ribbons the magician normally uses for her front hair braid and hat are red, not the standard black or dark blue.

_That's strange. The general composition of the outfit is similar to her usual style but it seems a little fancier; I've definitely never seen her wear it before. And aren't these colors usually what Reimu wears? Maybe she's trying to switch things up a bit?_   
_..._   
_Or she stole it._

"Welcome, Marisa! What brings you in?" says Kosuzu.

"I'm looking for a good recipe book and also wanna know if there's a new Chris-Q novel out."

"Do you read Agatha Chris-Q's work?" asks Akyuu abruptly, her eyes gleaming. "If you don't mind my asking, what do you think of them?!"

"Nah, before I came down here Reimu asked me to check and see if you had any new ones since I was stopping by anyway."

"Oh..." says Akyuu, her disappointment palpable.

"To answer your question," Kosuzu interrupts, "no, Chris-Q is on a hiatus last I heard. I can help with the recipe book, though. Follow me!"

Kosuzu leads Marisa to a smaller shelf on the far side of the shop that contains a multitude of recipe books from all over the world.

"This is perfect! But, uh, I can't read the ones not in Japanese," says Marisa.

"I can help with that, but if I might ask, what's the occasion?"

At the question Marisa starts acting shy, rubbing the back of her head before she says, "N-nothing major! Just wanted to try out some new things, I guess."

_Odd reaction._

"That's all well and good, but I can't recommend anything specific unless I at least know what kind of dish you want to prepare."

"Uh," says Marisa before clearing her throat, "got something meant for special occasions that could be prepared with ingredients bought in the village?"

"What kind of special occasion?" asks Akyuu, who has listened to the conversation thus far and is also curious towards Marisa's motives.

"Just what are you trying to do?" asks Kosuzu.

The two corner Marisa to the bookshelf, their inscrutable gazes piercing right through the magician. She blushes and covers her eyes with her hat, unable to answer.

"Could it be," muses Akyuu with the gleam in her eye returning, "that this is for some sort of rendezvous?"

"Okay, okay, let's not tease her too much, Akyuu, this isn't a novel," says Kosuzu, briefly turning to her friend. "You don't have to tell us if you really don't want to, Mari-"

Akyuu, with a knowing look, motions towards the magician, prompting Kosuzu to check the latter again. Following the previous accusation, Marisa is beginning to squirm even more than before.

_Wait, she apparently spoke to Reimu right before coming here... she needs the book for a special occasion and is getting shy about the details... and she's wearing something that looks like it belongs to Reimu..._

At that moment, like a tidal wave, realization comes crashing down on the young bookkeeper. One glance at Akyuu is all she needs to know that the record keeper has already come to this conclusion.

Kosuzu turns back to Marisa with eyes wide and a huge smile and yells, "OH MY GOSH I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU TWO!"

"Oh, shaddap!" yells Marisa, pulling her hat down even further.

* * *

"Oh, shaddap!" yells a voice inside the store.

_Now **this** is a story I need to cover ASAP._

The tengu reporter Aya Shameimaru prides herself on speedy and accurate journalism, and the scoop she overheard while preparing to drop the day's paper at Suzunaan has the potential to be her biggest one yet.

_I think I'll wait before delivering today's shipment after all. Time for some last minute edits, no way is this opportunity passing me by! Sales might suffer slightly due to the delay, but it will be more than made up for by the time the day's over._

Aya goes out of view of the townsfolk before flying above the village.

_Of course, without evidence, they might try to deny it. So it's time to do some reconnaissance. But who to follow? It'll be hard to keep tabs on Marisa discreetly without her noticing, but if Reimu is doing her usual thing I doubt I'll glean much by heading to the shrine right now. Suppose I'll have to risk the former._

Her decision made, the intrepid reporter waits for Marisa to exit Suzunaan. With her comes Kosuzu and Akyuu, the former looking incredibly giddy while the latter has a smug smile. They head towards the market with Aya spying from above, avoiding any other villagers who might see her. The trio picks up many ingredients, including chicken, fish, rice, various fruits and vegetables, and a wide variety of seasonings. Of course a few casks of sake are among the purchases.

_That seems like much more than what two people can eat, is it possible they're planning a party? Last I checked the next party at the shrine wouldn't be for another week. Must be last minute._

After exiting the market, Marisa sheepishly bids farewell to the two girls and flies out of the village with ingredients in tow. Aya sneaks closer to Kosuzu and Akyuu to listen in on them.

"Ahhhh, I'm really excited for tonight! I hope the cooking goes well," says Kosuzu.

Akyuu nods and says, "I'm happy for them, truly. Hopefully Reimu won't be too upset about how short notice this is, but I think she'll secretly enjoy it."

"Yeah! But now we need to spread the word to all the shrine's frequent visitors, so I need to try and catch Aya before she drops off today's shipment. Otherwise we'll have to find someone else."

_Way ahead of you._

The tengu flies back up and makes a beeline for the shrine. With her unmatched speed she makes it there right after Marisa. Aya goes to hide in nearby bushes, when she spots something unusual: an out cold tanuki with an ofuda attached to it laying in her would be hiding place. The reporter feels a sudden sense of dread, but also excitement.

_That shrine maiden is dangerous despite how we like to treat her sometimes, I'll have to be careful if I don't want to meet the same fate. But hey, no fun if there isn't any risk._

And so Aya patiently stakes out the shrine's entrance, seeing Reimu come out to meet Marisa. At first Reimu holds her gohei defensively, but after a minute of conversation she's no longer on guard. The two share a laugh about something Aya cannot make out. After calming down a bit, Marisa goes to hug Reimu, which the shrine maiden receives in kind. The reporter busts out her camera quicker than a flash.

_Now's my chance!_

Right before taking the picture, a new development occurs: the two share a tender kiss that causes even Aya to hesitate.

_I almost feel bad about trespassing on this intimate moment._

The camera shutter snaps.

_Almost._

However, the noise of the snap is enough to alert the lovebirds. They quickly break apart and scan the area around them.

_Dang it, I thought I was far enough away. Time to beat a hasty retreat-_

"Love Sign - Master Spark!"

_Is she insane?!_

The tengu flinches before opening her eyes and noting that Marisa's Mini-Hakkero is not pointed in her direction, but rather towards the opposite side of the shrine. Despite the battle cry, it appears to have been an intentionally weaker shot, only uprooting a few bushes.

"You're lucky I woke up right after you showed up," says a voice next to Aya.

"Huh?!" yelps the reporter in shock.

Next to Aya stands the bake-danuki trickster Mamizou, who looks disheveled but otherwise fine.

"So the one who faced Reimu's wrath was you, huh?" muses Aya, recovering quickly from her surprise.

"You can save your quips for after we get out of here, dearie. That poor tanuki I sent as a decoy to save you won't last much longer. Or would you rather take both of them on at once?"

"Hmph, I suppose I owe you one."

"Believe me, if that picture you took infuriates the shrine maiden when it gets published, we'll be more than even," says Mamizou with an evil grin. "Now let's go!"

The Youkai make a run for it through the woods before getting far enough away to fly without being spotted. They soon part ways as Aya makes her way back home to start a new print.

_I'll be sure to let everyone know your plans for tonight, you two. It'll be a ball!_

* * *

_Gotta say, today's been way more eventful than I expected._

A few hours have passed since Marisa and Reimu chased off the tanuki that was bothering them. Currently they are busy preparing for the impromptu party.

_I thought Reimu would be more resistant to the idea even after Kosuzu and Akyuu convinced me to go through with it as a special celebration, but she accepted the proposal rather readily. Kosuzu promised to take care of the invitations, though I wonder how she plans on doing that._

"Marisa, don't start daydreaming while cooking the meat. You'll burn it," says Reimu behind her.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Marisa replies. "Y'know, I meant to ask this before that tanuki showed up, but why were you so willing to go along with this sudden party? I know I already spent the money on ingredients but they would have kept."

"After Mamizou showed up earlier, I figured it'd be wise to rip the bandage off and tell everyone today. Rather not have an experience like that again."

"Agreed, having Kosuzu and Akyuu pressure me about it was the most embarrassed I've felt in years."

The two's idle chatter fades back to a comfortable silence after a few minutes.

 _Now that we're finally together, I guess I'll be spending even more time at the shrine going forward. I wonder if there's enough room around for me to move all my stuff in... Wait, move in? We're not married yet, Marisa, calm down. You don't even know if she necessarily wants that, despite how much you do. It's only been a day._  
...  
 _Hold on, that time I said "yet". Good grief, I really have it bad. Still can't believe we waited this long, though in a sense it's comforting to know we stood the test of time. After yesterday, I wasn't sure how much things would change in our daily lives, if at all. The way people see us is gonna change; our interactions with each other have certainly changed, though definitely for the better if I do say so myself. I could get used to living like this, staying by Reimu's side while continuing to study magic and resolve incidents. We'll probably be working together even more often, too. But there's no way I'm letting her beat me to punch with the incidents, even if we're together. She's my drive to improve myself, now more than ever. It's not just about being able to beat her; I want to be her support._

"Marisa. Meat," says Reimu in an exasperated tone.

"Don't worry, I'll prepare the best, uh, what did Kosuzu call it...? Curry, that's it. Best curry you've ever had!" boasts Marisa. "Apparently it's become super popular in the outside world's Japan over the last century or so."

"If it's the only curry I've ever had then I suppose it'll be the best by default."

"Hey, you can't say I'm wrong!"

Reimu lets out a chuckle. "You're right, I can't."

They share a laugh before getting back to work. The room's atmosphere is peaceful.

"Hey, Marisa?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really happy we'll be able to experience life together from now on."

"Heh, so am I. More than I can describe."

"Y'know, um, there's a decent bit of room in the shrine. I'm sure I could set aside enough space for your books and supplies and everything. There's even the storehouse if you need it."

Marisa, caught utterly off guard by the sudden proposition, stops what she is doing for a few moments to process Reimu's words.

"You practically live here anyway, so I thought I'd throw that out there," she continues. "No rush, of course, it's only been a day."

The shrine maiden jumps when she feels a hug from behind her with no warning. Where Marisa's head lays, there is a dampness on Reimu's shoulder.

"Most of my life, I... I've been on my own. Left my own family due to this obsession of mine," says Marisa, her voice cracking. "I-I..."

Reimu turns around, faces and embraces her partner, and says, "We've both been on our own for so long, when we had each other nearly the whole time. You won't ever have to be alone again, as long as I'm alive."

With that promise, Marisa's tears break past the emotional dams she built and flow for what feels to her like the first time in an eternity.

"Man I'm pathetic, I want to be the one supporting you," the magician chokes out between sobs.

"You always have and you always will just by being you. And this is a two way street, Marisa; we can lean on each other," the shrine maiden says in response, her own tears beginning to fall.

The two hold their embrace for a long time. The meat is mildly burned.

* * *

_I'm glad Marisa got as much food as she did, otherwise burning some of it would have been way worse. Everything should be set: tarps, food trays, the food itself, sake with dishes. All that's left is to wait for everyone to arrive._

For the few minutes between the end of the set-up and the first guest arrival, Reimu and Marisa lounge on the shrine deck, holding hands while observing the sunset. No words are exchanged, as none are necessary. Both of them have found the person they love, which to them is all that matters. It is a foreign feeling for two women who are used to hiding all vulnerability for the sake of appearances. But that foreign feeling is far from unwelcome.

"Oiiiiiiii, lovebirds!" yells a voice by the torii.

Reimu turns to Marisa and says, "It was nice while it lasted. Ready to spend the next four hours dealing with lines like that?"

"I'd deal with it forever if it meant staying with you," says Marisa with genuine affection.

"MARISA!"

"What? It's true," says the magician, her classic smirk returning.

"Ugh..."

_This is my life now, hearing quips like this every day. And I couldn't be happier._

The couple goes to meet their first guest: Suika Ibuki, the alcohol-loving oni.

"Congrats and all that, glad you two finally saw the obvious," says Suika.

Reimu squints and says, "You're only here cause you want an excuse to get drunk."

"I take offense to that; I'm here because I'm legitimately happy for you _and_ as an excuse to get drunk!"

"Gotta appreciate the straightforwardness, I guess?" says Marisa.

As they talk, more guests start arriving, many of whom are the usual suspects. Sakuya arrives with Remilia and Patchouli, the latter being a rare sight outside of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and gives a collective gift of tea leaves and magical texts they are willing to part with. Youmu and Yuyuko show up right after, with Youmu tripping over her words when trying to congratulate the couple, obviously inexperienced with this topic; Yuyuko chuckles and gives them her best wishes as well. Reisen and Mokou are next, mentioning something about how cute their picture is that neither Reimu nor Marisa understand. Sanae shows up already on the verge of tears, embracing her two friends while exclaiming she always knew they would make a great couple; behind her is Nitori who gives the pair a set of coupons valid at all kappa stalls for the next year. The next group is Kosuzu, Akyuu, and Kasen, who apparently ran into each other as they were walking to the shrine. Kosuzu gives Reimu a complete set of Agatha Chris-Q novels that she claims were donated to the shop the other day, with Akyuu facing away so as to not look anyone in the eye. Kasen, true to form, hands the girls a cask of her best sake.

_With all these gifts you'd swear we're getting married. And I'm unsure how to feel about the fact most of them seem to have seen this coming._

More and more familiar faces pour in, the total amount of people being far higher than either Reimu or Marisa expected. The final arrivals are Mamizou, who recoils at Reimu's glare before quickly fading into the crowd, and Aya.

"So we have you to thank for the turnout, I'm guessing?" Marisa asks the tengu.

"Never underestimate the tengu's communications network," says Aya smugly. "It helps today's paper was pretty enticing on its own if I may brag a bit."

"What do you mean by that?" ask Reimu.

"Today's paper was a special edition. I saved a copy for you two," Aya says while handing them a newspaper she is holding.

_T-this is...!_

The headline reads "Infamous Locals Shrine Maiden and Magician Realize the Obvious" with an accompanying picture of Reimu and Marisa kissing in front of the shrine. When the two of them look up, Aya has already disappeared into the party.

"I'm going to exterminate her, I swear I will!" proclaims an extremely flustered Reimu.

"I ain't thrilled about being today's front page either, but you have to admit," says Marisa, holding the paper close to her face, "that reporter knows how to take a good photo."

Reimu takes a second look at the picture and notes how the light trails in it amplify the scene's pristine beauty. The sight gives her an odd fuzzy feeling in her stomach.

"Still gonna exterminate her," the shrine maiden says with a pout.

From there the party gets very lively, and the curry proves to be a big hit among the attendees. Some guests, such as Raiko, even play a few songs as entertainment. Before too long everyone begins happily drinking away, exceptions being Sumireko and Sanae with the latter nonetheless getting drunk off the atmosphere. The three Fairies of Light, Clownpiece, and Cirno have a drinking contest with other guests taking bets; the winner is Star, with mixed cries of cheers and anguish from the audience as money is exchanged. Kasen, Suika, and Mamizou have a contest of their own, though it lasts so long that eventually it is called off. Sanae keeps crying about how happy she is, with Aunn happily listening to every word to the relief of everyone else. As for Reimu and Marisa themselves, they move about and try to talk to everyone at least once. Reimu eventually corners Aya but is too inebriated to attack, much to the latter's relief. However, she threatens that if Aya ever does something like this again then a picture will be the least of the reporter's concerns. Marisa takes a moment to reminisce with Alice, confiding in her about how the former might potentially be moving out of the Forest of Magic at some point. The doll maker offers her full support, noting that it would not take very long for Marisa to fly by for visits anyway. Sumireko makes it a point to get a picture with the new couple, clearly very excited for them.

Reimu yawns, sits down to snuggle next to Marisa, and says, "This has been one of the liveliest parties we've ever had. Hard to believe it's all for us."

"You're telling me, I'm still not over a kappa actually offering someone a discount. And Patchouli giving me books willingly?" muses Marisa before she takes another swig from her sake dish.

"I can't believe no one besides Youmu was surprised. Were we that blind?"

A voice behind them says, "Most of us assumed it was only a matter of time, really."

They look back to see a blonde woman with a white hat featuring a thin red ribbon sitting behind them, lazily holding her dish.

"Was wondering if you'd show up, Yukari. Guess no night can be completely perfect," says Reimu half-jokingly.

"I'll choose to ignore that one out of deference for the occasion," says Yukari before letting out a laugh.

"Enjoying the festivities?" Marisa asks.

"Quite, you really outdid yourselves this time. The joyous mood does wonders, as well."

"So what brings you over here?" asks Reimu warily.

"Can I not offer my heartfelt congratulations without suspicion?"

"No," says the couple in unison.

Yukari gets a good chuckle out of that reaction before continuing. "I can promise that this time it's the truth. All I want to say is that I've been watching you two for a long time, and you compliment each other nicely. Not just in a romantic sense, either; when the two of you put your heads together there's little that can get past you."

_She's feeling rather gregarious tonight._

"Even your flaws match rather well, hohoho!"

_Aaaaaaand there it is. What's with old ladies going "hohoho" so much?_

"I'm looking forward to seeing how your relationship affects Gensokyo. I hope you have an enjoyable rest of the night!" says Yukari. She gets up and walks over to the tarp where Yuyuko and Youmu are, striking up a conversation with them.

"I wonder what she meant by that," asks Marisa.

"Who knows with her," Reimu responds before taking a sip of her drink. "She's always going on about Gensokyo's future."

"Well, the way I see it, only thing us getting together will affect is our daily lives. Doubt the politics of the place will change much on our account."

_Our daily lives, huh? I guess today was the start of our new ones. Maybe what Yukari meant was that since our routines will change it might affect our approach to things? Eh, it's not worth trying to decipher her cryptic meanings._

The party eventually draws to a close, with everyone slowly saying their farewells. Sakuya is kind enough to help clean up since Reimu and Marisa were the ones to prepare everything. The last ones to leave are Sanae, still going on about how much she loves everyone, and Aya, who helps her get back to Moriya Shrine at Reimu's request to make up for the candid photo. Marisa grabs Reimu's hand and they head back inside the shrine, quickly changing into their night clothes and getting into their futons.

"I'm really glad Kosuzu and Akyuu came up with this idea, even if the cost of success was that newspaper," says Marisa as she lays down. "It was a lot of fun."

"And here I thought that we would have a small, intimate dinner tonight. I should never expect things to go that smoothly," says Reimu from her side of the room. "But yes, I'll admit, this was very enjoyable. We even got some good stuff out of it which I wasn't expecting."

Laying where she is, Reimu realizes something after a moment of silent contemplation. She gets up and walks over to Marisa.

"Huh? What is it?"

The shrine maiden wordlessly pulls up the covers and lays down next to her partner, holding her close. Said partner's face becomes a deep red in response.

"You don't mind, right?"

Marisa embraces Reimu and only says, "I love you. Good night."

Reimu smiles and says, "I love you too. Sleep well."

_As long as we're both still here, we'll never let each other be alone again._

**Author's Note:**

> I sincerely hope you enjoyed this story. It is a good bit longer than the last one; I hope it wasn't tedious to go through. Even if it can be considered cliché, I enjoy the humor that occurs when someone finds out about two people they know starting a relationship, with reactions ranging from being shocked to seeing it coming a mile away. This story shifts perspectives multiple times so hopefully it didn't seem too all over the place. Another feeling I hoped to capture here is two people romantically involved simply enjoying being with each other. When exploring a theoretical Reimu/Marisa relationship, it's a fun challenge to try and keep them in character while still indulging in those "I love you so much" moments. To what extent I succeeded in this regard is for you to decide. If you feel so inclined, I greatly appreciate any feedback be it positive or negative. Thank you very much for your time and have a fantastic day/night!
> 
> Other Notes:  
> 1\. "Shōji" are walls/doors/room dividers made of translucent paper sheets, common in traditional Japanese architecture. Hakurei Shrine has been shown to have them in various Touhou print works. I recommend looking them up and reading more about them if you're curious.  
> 2\. When describing the breakfast, I admittedly looked up what more traditional Japanese breakfast meals entail, so ideally it's at least somewhat accurate.  
> 3\. A "torii" is a gate usually seen in front of Shinto shrines, serving as a marker between the mundane and the sacred.  
> 4\. This one you likely know, but just in case: "gohei" and "ofuda" are the staff and paper slips that Reimu uses in combat, respectively. They are often used in various Shinto religious practices.  
> 5\. While many characters appear near the end, for the tags I only included characters who got substantial dialogue to avoid giving anyone browsing false expectations about the story's contents.  
> 6\. Yukari's dialogue isn't meant to be a sequel hook necessarily, just her being her normal cryptic self.  
> 7\. This work is rated "T" and not "G" due to extended depictions of drinking.


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